Ford is expanding its range of electric vans. In addition to power and plenty of horsepower, the E-Transit Custom also offers a few intelligently designed extras. For example, a tilting steering wheel on which you can place a laptop. And an assistance system takes over many repetitive actions.
After the battery-electric Transit, Ford is now positioning the smaller E-Transit Custom. Production of the one-ton class van will start at the end of 2023, and the first vehicles are expected to make their debut on the German market at the beginning of 2024. In addition to the electric drive, diesel engines and a plug-in hybrid will also be available.
There is a choice of two engines for the electric variant: with 100 kW/136 hp and 160 kW/218 hp. The maximum torque is 415 Newton meters. The E-Transit Custom has a 74 kWh battery on board, which should enable a range of up to 380 kilometers. The small van can draw up to 125 kW of electricity from a fast charging station. The charging process from 15 to 80 percent takes around 40 minutes. Ford estimates a full charge of just under 8 hours on a wall box. A heat pump is standard on board.
The E-Transit Custom is offered with a single and crew cab, and there is also a station wagon variant. Customers can choose from two wheelbases and two roof heights. Typical for the class, the normal roof height remains under two meters. As a panel van, the Stromer offers a loading volume of between 5.8 and 9 cubic meters. The maximum loading space length is 3.45 meters.
Ford specifies the payload as 1.1 tons. The e-custom can take up to 2 tons on the hook – that’s neat. Wide sliding door openings and a deep loading floor make loading and boarding easier. There is also the option of using the high-voltage battery to power electric tools, for example.
The cockpit is tailored to the needs of the driver. In order to create space for a larger glove compartment, which is suitable for DIN A4 format, the front airbag for the passengers is now located in the front roof section above the windscreen. With the “Mobile Office” package, the steering wheel can be tilted so that a laptop can be placed on it for office work.
The “Delivery Assist” takes over many daily repetitive actions that occur, for example, on delivery trips. As soon as parking mode is activated, the hazard warning lights are activated here and open side windows are raised. If the driver moves away from the vehicle, the doors are also locked.
The electric transporter’s software can be updated via “Over The Air” updates. The Ford Pro telematics services can also be used to optimize charging management or improve maintenance processes.
